Going back to Russia

[Blues Fairy 0]

I left Russia at 21 for a US grad school and did not come back until 3 years later. I can speak from experience that for a person that young (isn't that your age Olga?), it is fair and normal to keep stronger psychological ties to home country and parents. But then, marriage is tough work too, requiring maturity and certain emotional sacrifices. Going back to Russia for 3 months seems like giving yourself a break from this work - indeed from being adult. A trip back to childhood, is that your psychological need Olya? Whereas your husband doesn't get any breaks, does he?

[slim 1,514]

This topic died about 3 weeks ago.

Now it's back.

I believe Sat and Mrs. Sat worked it out.... No need for us to revisit it for them, is there?

[Blues Fairy 0]

I believe Sat and Mrs. Sat worked it out.... No need for us to revisit it for them, is there?

Are you moderating this forum Slim?

P.S. I am happy for Mr. & Mrs. Sat of course.

[slim 1,514]

I believe Sat and Mrs. Sat worked it out.... No need for us to revisit it for them, is there?

Are you moderating this forum Slim?

P.S. I am happy for Mr. & Mrs. Sat of course.

You know, as soon as I posted this I said to myslef: "Damn. I sound like a moderator."

The last thing I want to be is a moderator on here, just got a little irritated that this topic was back after they had already settled it. Just wait a week or two... someone else's wife will get fed up and start posting stuff. (I guess I'm due!)

[Waitlisted 0]

You are right, your immediate family does come first and I guess that you do need to find a compromise to balance the needs of both parties in this matter. Since it is apparently settled, no need to ramble on about it...

[russ 1]

Are you moderating this forum Slim?

I guess Slim is the new mayor of the Russian thread.

[slim 1,514]

Are you moderating this forum Slim?

I guess Slim is the new mayor of the Russian thread.

No way! What's nice about this thread is there is no one "in charge" and we're all free to post what we want. For the most part, it's been a pretty respectful forum, and that's probably due to no one saying "I'm in charge here, and you will do this..."

Back in 2003, I was in a little place called Songtan, Korea. It's a little bar district right outside the main gate of Osan Air Base, and if you've ever seen any war movies where the G.I.s are walking down the steet on a "weekend pass" and the girls are hanging out of the "Go-Go" clubs taunting them and saying "me love you long time", etc., then you can pretty well picture this place. (Asian girls... plus Russians!) Anyway, I was at a particular bar with a buddy of mine, doing our usual boozing and skirt chasing, and we ran into two Marine Corps pilots that were there on a short stay. It was only their first night downtown, and we met them at a bar full of Filipinas. We introduced them to several, (in Tagalog) then moved on. We went to another place, introduced them to several Korean girls, (in Korean) then moved on. We went to yet another place, and I called over the Russian girls (in Russian) to introduce them, and turned to the old mama-san that was taking our drink order and switched it up from Russian to Korean to get our drinks, the Marines stopped me. "Dude, did you just order our drinks in Korean, talk to those girls in Russian, and a few minutes ago you were kickin it with the Filipinas? You're the f##king mayor of Songtan! You know all the places, all the girls, and you're switching languages like it's you job. You're definitely the mayor!"

To this day I still hold that distinction among several of my old Osan buddies. Good times. Good times. The moral of my story over there that I tried to explain to these guys, and to anyone else that would listen, was if you don't have a lot of cash to "pay" for what you want, you've gotta get the right intelligence and exploit it. Sure, I can't buy drinks for these girls all night long, but I can sit down and introduce myself, then ask them where they're from, how old they are, if they like it there, etc. IN THEIR LANGUAGE! Since there were 300 dudes every night willing to fork over cash to talk, it was quite a variance from what they were used to when a guy would come up to them talking to them in their language and NOT buy them a drink.

Do you think the mayor would buy you a drink? No way! You'd buy him a drink!

Edited June 6, 2007 by slim

[russ 1]

Back in 2003, I was in a little place called Songtan, Korea. It's a little bar district right outside the main gate of Osan Air Base, and if you've ever seen any war movies where the G.I.s are walking down the steet on a "weekend pass" and the girls are hanging out !

Though in my short Air Force career I never made it to Osan, I certainly had enough friends who did. Probably for the best - I'm not sure my liver would have survived.

It does bring back memories for me of a stupid game called "crud" - that typically left me bruised and without buttons on my shirt. Someone had borrowed (and never returned) my unit "coin," so I was also stuck buying the first round often enough.

In hindsight, ROTC was a good call. My friends who enlisted seem to still be recovering from Korea.

[slim 1,514]

In hindsight, ROTC was a good call. My friends who enlisted seem to still be recovering from Korea.

That would be me. Was "suggested" by my commander for dismissal from the AF while at Osan after a few too many "triple nickels." I showed up in July, got a 15 in December, another in February (a week after my x-tra duty was over from my first one) and was gone by May. I was discharged as an E-1, and had to pay back the unserved portion of my reenlistment bonus. For those not familiar with military lingo:

I had been in the military for about 6 years and was over in Korea making about $900 every two weeks (with free food and housing) and then got in some trouble. Within a couple months, I was making only $300 every two weeks and was on my way home, basically fired from the only job that I'd done for the better part of my adult life. Two years prior to that (after my original 4 year obligation was up) I reenlisted for 6 more years and got a check for $13,000 with an additional $2,700 each year I completed. I got "let go" after only 2 years, 9 months, so they crunched the numbers and figured out I owed them about $7,000+ back.

I'm still paying on that. And still paying for the other stuff I charged (credit cards and expensive auto loans) and making up for what I didn't buy, or didn't have left (like a couch, TV, bedroom set, etc. I sold all mine when I went overseas) while in the military. Basically, I got out of the military after about 7 years with nothing to show for it except an additional $20,000 in debt.

In hindsight, I'm glad I did it though. Sure, I would've chosen to go the route of my buddy, a high school classmate of mine that's now an officer in the Navy making over $60,000/year, but I believe it all works out in the end. I learned a lot of things (about people, about the world, and mostly, about myself) and got to see a lot of very interesting places and meet some very interesting people (like my wife!). So, it isn't all bad.

Like Russ said, enlisted people that go to Korea end up paying for it for a long time. Sometimes even after they're out of the military. It's unfortunate too, because Korea is the place that, militarily speaking, should benefit so much, and help the careers of so many people. The stories of any "good" coming out of it are few and far between. For me though, most of my "good stories" are from there. It's always going to be a special place for me, and I'm pretty sure I'll end up there again before I take my last breath.

[russ 1]

In hindsight, ROTC was a good call. My friends who enlisted seem to still be recovering from Korea.

That would be me. Was "suggested" by my commander for dismissal from the AF while at Osan after a few too many "triple nickels." I showed up in July, got a 15 in December, another in February (a week after my x-tra duty was over from my first one) and was gone by May. I was discharged as an E-1, and had to pay back the unserved portion of my reenlistment bonus. For those not familiar with military lingo:

I was "investigated for disenrollment" once, for failing a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) (I had the flu, but had to do it anyway).

Nothing came of that. Can't say that I remember the details. I also got into trouble for skipping formations to study

or go to exams.

I had been in the military for about 6 years and was over in Korea making about $900 every two weeks (with free food and housing) and then got in some trouble. Within a couple months, I was making only $300 every two weeks and was on my way home, basically fired from the only job that I'd done for the better part of my adult life. Two years prior to that (after my original 4 year obligation was up) I reenlisted for 6 more years and got a check for $13,000 with an additional $2,700 each year I completed. I got "let go" after only 2 years, 9 months, so they crunched the numbers and figured out I owed them about $7,000+ back.

I got $150/month. But the Air Force also paid ~$22,000/year in tuition, ~$8,000 housing and meals, all of my

textbooks (usually new).

I left due to a minor medical condition, which at the time, was enough for them to let me go. These days, I

think I would have a tough time getting an Honorable Discharge for having occaisonal heartburn. I still had

6 years left on my contract.

Like Russ said, enlisted people that go to Korea end up paying for it for a long time. Sometimes even after they're out of the military. It's unfortunate too, because Korea is the place that, militarily speaking, should benefit so much, and help the careers of so many people. The stories of any "good" coming out of it are few and far between. For me though, most of my "good stories" are from there. It's always going to be a special place for me, and I'm pretty sure I'll end up there again before I take my last breath.

I have many friends that have seen far worse - Iraq, Vietnam. At the time, I wanted to stay in -- but in hindsight, I'm also

happy that things worked out the way they did.